1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to card games and, more particularly, to a device especially adapted for indicating the status of parameters that are important in the play of the card game.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the play of some card games, e.g. pitch, it is important that the players be aware of certain game parameters such as the trump suit, whether a jack is played, and the point bid. However, during play, it is a common occurrence that players forget one or more the important parameters. When a player forgets an important parameter, one or more of the following results may occur.
The player may ask the other players the status of the forgotten parameter, but this may be annoying to the other players. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided for a card game which precluded the necessity of a player asking other players as to the status of important game parameters.
The player may have forgotten an actual game parameter and may be thinking of an erroneous game parameter and play the game accordingly. Such erroneous play may mess up the smooth play of the game and lead to confusion among players who remember the correct game parameters. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided for a card game which helps prevent a player from playing a game while keeping erroneous game parameters in mind.
When a player plays in accordance with erroneous game parameters, other players are often irritated, and such play may lead to disputes, accusations, and arguments. Such conflicts may erode friendships and cause a potentially enjoyable game experience to deteriorate into a unpleasant cause of controversy and anxiety. In this respect, it would be desirable if a device were provided for a card game which helped prevent disputes and arguments over forgotten game parameters.
Still other features would be desirable in an apparatus that helps prevent disputes from arising over card game parameters. It would be desirable if the apparatus were easy to operate. It would be desirable if the device had indicia that were easy for all the players to see. It would also be desirable for such a card game parameter apparatus to include a mechanism to prevent accidental display of erroneous parameters.
The use of indicia on support surfaces is a well known technique for educating and conveying useful information. For example, the following U.S. patents are representative of some devices which employ indicia on support surfaces: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,822,487; 4,508,347; 4,950,165; 5,092,777; and 5,145,175. All of the above-cited patents relate to devices which include alphabet indicia for teaching the letters of the alphabet to children. None of the above-cited patents relate to devices for displaying parameters of a card game.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use devices bearing indicia for educational purposes, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a card game parameter indicator apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) precludes the necessity of a player asking other players as to the status of important game parameters; (2) helps prevent a player from playing a game while keeping erroneous game parameters in mind; (3) helps prevent disputes and arguments over forgotten game parameters; (4) is easy to operate; (5) has indicia that are easy for all the players to see; and (6) includes a mechanism to prevent accidental display of erroneous parameters. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique card game parameter indicator apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.